The mystery of images in A Tale Of two Cities By: Zoë Campbell
Throughout history, the use of images have been to support themes, help develop the plot, aid in a variety of literary devices throughout the work, and to engage the audience in the piece of writing. In Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities, he uses a variety of images to create and solve mysteries and to foreshadow future events in the novel. Three major images in the novel that recur over and over again are footsteps, recalled to life, and letters.
Dickens uses the image of footsteps in various chapters of the novel. The first time the image of footsteps occurs is in Book 2, chapter 6 “Hundreds of People”. At the end of the chapter Lucie Manette, …show more content…
The first occurrence of recalled to life is in Book 1, chapter 2 “The Mail” when Mr. Lorry receives a letter from Jerry Cruncher, telling him to wait for Mam’selle and Mr. Lorry tells Jerry to “say that my answer was, RECALLED TO LIFE”(10). His answer to the letter leaves the audience puzzled and wanting to know what recalled to life means, leaving a mystery for the reader to solve. In later chapters the reader learns that recalled to life means that Mr. Lorry is going to recall Dr. Manette back to his original state before he was imprisoned eighteen years ago. Another character that is an example of the image recalled to life is Sydney Carton. Carton is recalled to life from his depressed to state when Lucie becomes part of his life. In Book 2, chapter 13 “The Fellow of No Delicacy” Carton gives a big speech declaring his love to Lucie and acceptance that she is not picking him to marry. It also helps him comes to terms with his life, in turn recalling him to life from his empty drunken shell. In his speech Carton says “For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. If my career were of that better kind that there was any opportunity or capacity of sacrifice in it, I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you”(147). By reading this the audience wonders why Carton would say he would sacrifice himself for her, and her family. As the reader later finds out this foreshadows Carton sacrificing himself to save Charles Darnay. The Last example of recalled to life, is when Sydney Carton recalls Charles Darnay back to life. When Charles is waiting to be executed by the guillotine and has accepted the fate of dying, Carton comes and switches places with him recalling him back to life. This solves the mystery of why Mr.Lorry brought Carton over to France and did not tell the Manette family. Mr. Lorry’s plan was to use the similarities in looks between Carton and Darnay, to
Throughout history, the use of images have been to support themes, help develop the plot, aid in a variety of literary devices throughout the work, and to engage the audience in the piece of writing. In Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities, he uses a variety of images to create and solve mysteries and to foreshadow future events in the novel. Three major images in the novel that recur over and over again are footsteps, recalled to life, and letters.
Dickens uses the image of footsteps in various chapters of the novel. The first time the image of footsteps occurs is in Book 2, chapter 6 “Hundreds of People”. At the end of the chapter Lucie Manette, …show more content…
The first occurrence of recalled to life is in Book 1, chapter 2 “The Mail” when Mr. Lorry receives a letter from Jerry Cruncher, telling him to wait for Mam’selle and Mr. Lorry tells Jerry to “say that my answer was, RECALLED TO LIFE”(10). His answer to the letter leaves the audience puzzled and wanting to know what recalled to life means, leaving a mystery for the reader to solve. In later chapters the reader learns that recalled to life means that Mr. Lorry is going to recall Dr. Manette back to his original state before he was imprisoned eighteen years ago. Another character that is an example of the image recalled to life is Sydney Carton. Carton is recalled to life from his depressed to state when Lucie becomes part of his life. In Book 2, chapter 13 “The Fellow of No Delicacy” Carton gives a big speech declaring his love to Lucie and acceptance that she is not picking him to marry. It also helps him comes to terms with his life, in turn recalling him to life from his empty drunken shell. In his speech Carton says “For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything. If my career were of that better kind that there was any opportunity or capacity of sacrifice in it, I would embrace any sacrifice for you and for those dear to you”(147). By reading this the audience wonders why Carton would say he would sacrifice himself for her, and her family. As the reader later finds out this foreshadows Carton sacrificing himself to save Charles Darnay. The Last example of recalled to life, is when Sydney Carton recalls Charles Darnay back to life. When Charles is waiting to be executed by the guillotine and has accepted the fate of dying, Carton comes and switches places with him recalling him back to life. This solves the mystery of why Mr.Lorry brought Carton over to France and did not tell the Manette family. Mr. Lorry’s plan was to use the similarities in looks between Carton and Darnay, to